Game-playing machine



Dec 25, 1928. I 1,696,359

C. O. NELSON GAME PLAYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l If! I j .l 2 H H [=1 5 5 fifl ll rl m B I MHI 1 m 5 Z INVENTOR 57 c. 0. [AGO/V HTTORNEK? Dec; 25, 1928.

c. o. NELSON GAME PLAYING MA CHINE Fi led Feb; 21, 1927 I 4 Sl 1eetsShe et 2 Fig. 5.

lNl/ENTOH 4 C. 0. NELSON HTTORNEK5 Dec. 25, 1928,

Y 4 c. o. NELSON GAME PLAYING MACHINE Filed F sh. 21, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet Fiji.

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N O'Q W Q Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES CECIL O. NELSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GAME-PLAYING MACHINE.

Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial No. 169,845.

This invention relates tomachines for playing various games by dial mechanism, and it ie ates particularly to machines for playing the dice game of fourteen.

6 The game of fourteen is now commonly played by use of ten dice, having the usual dice insignia thereon. The ten dice are thrown out five times. On the first throw of the dice, the player picks out one particular indicia on the face of the dice for which he elects to shoot. The indicia chosen is usually the one appearing the most often on the exposed faces of the ten dice first thrown. The tally on the first throw and on each suc- 16 ceedingthrow of the number of the particular chosen indicia turned up is then taken and by adding upthe total number of times the particular indicia has appeared during the five throws the players score is obtained.

0 If, during the five throws, the player succeeds in obtaining a score of fourteen or over, he is considered to have won the game.

It is the main object of this invention to providea machine for playing the game of fourteen.

I A further object is to provide a machine for playing various games and particularly various dice games.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine including a series of ten suitably mounted drums carrying various indicia on the peripheries thereof, means for spinning said drums toexpose various combinations between the indicia on the various faces thereof to viewafter the drums have come to rest and means for tallying the score obtained by the player when using the machine.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such drums in combination with five tallying means adapted to respectively tally the number of a particular indicia on the drums appearing after each of five spins of the drums.

Still another object is to provide in combination with the aforementioned drums and tallying means, means operated by the tallying means for totaling-the aggregate score as registered by the five tallying means.

A further object is to provide, in combination with the aforementioned drums, tallying means and totalingmeans, a dial adapted to be operated to indicate the particular chosen indicia of lay.

Still another oliject is to provide in such a machine means for simultaneously returning all the tallying means, the totaling means and the dial indicating the chosen indicia of play to non-operative position.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a view in front side' elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, certain of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in right end elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, certain of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device with 7 the top portion of the casing removed, the casing being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a verticalsection taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of one of the journaled ratchets taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken through one of the shaft engaging ratchets;

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of one of the shaft engaging ratchets;

Fig. 11' is a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Fig. 12, as indicated by the arrow;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken on the line 12 of Fig. 11, as indicated by the arrow showing the parts in one position;

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the parts in another position; 1

Fig. 14 is an illustrative view illustrating P the indicia placed on the drums and the relative sequence thereof, and,

Fig. 15 is a similar illustrative view indicating the marking of the indicia on the totaling dial. i

Referring to the drawings, a five sided substantially rectangular casing 16 is provided, the open side of the casing being disposed downwardly. A bracket 17 is formed integral with the casing 16 at its front right hand side, a stub "shaft 18 being journaled in the bracket 1? and the right handend of the casing and projecting outwardly at the right end of the casing. Stub shaft 18 carries a gear 19 and has secured thereto at its outer end an operating crank 20. A cylindrical drum shaft 21 is journaled in the ends of casing 16 somewhat rearwardly from the shaft 18 and parallel thereto. Shaft 21 is provided with heads 22 at either end thereof spaced outwardly a short distance from either end of the casing 16. A bar spring 23 secured at its lower end to the right end of casing 16 has a forked upper end fitting about the right end of the shaft 21 between the right head 22 and the right end of the casing 16. The said spring is adapted to normallyhold the shaft 21 in shifted position to the right. Shaft 21 carries inwardly from the right end of casing 16 a pinion 24C of relatively greater width than the gear 19, the said pinion being spaced a short distance from the end of casing 16 to permit the shaft being shifted to the right. A hand grip 25 is formed on the upper sur face of casin 16 adjacent the left end thereof, the said hand grip having spaced lugs carrying a pivot 26 upon which a hand lever 27 is mounted, the lever 27 having-a forked portion fitting about the shaft 21 at the left outer end thereof between the left head 22 and the left end of the casing 16. By moving the upper end of the lever 27 towards the hand grip 25, the shaft 21 may be shifted against the tension of spring 23 to the left.

Ten cylindrical drums 28 are journaled on the shaft 21 at spaced intervals thereon. Each of the drums 28 carries on its periphery six distinctive indicia 28, the said indicia being preferably of the type now commonly used on dice and'the indicia being arranged as illustrated in Fig. 14, so that the sum obtained by adding one indicia to any indicia spaced the distance of any two indicia away therefrom will aggregate seven. Each drum 28 carries a flange 28 at one sidethereof, the left side asindicated in the drawings, the said flange having a grooved portion within which the curved end of one of a series of ten arms 29 is received, the said arms being secured to the lower side of the top of the casing 16 at spaced intervals thereon. By means of the arms 29, the relative spacing of the various drums 28 is maintained irrespective of the shifting of the shaft 21. Immediately over each of the drums 28, an aperture 16 is formed in the top of the casing 16, the aperture bein of such size that when a drum is properly a ined therewith but one indicia 28 can be observed through the aperture. Each of the drums 28 is hollowed out to form a polygonal-shaped portion 28, the sides of the polygonal-shaped portions being inwardly curved in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The hollowed out portions are of substantially hexagonal shape and are concentric with the axis of the shaft 21.

lVit-hin the hollowed out portions of each drum 28, a small heavy ball 30 is placed, the said balls being of the type now commonly used for ball bearings. In making up a drum 28, preferably two members are provided of hollowed out form and are placed face to face, a ball 30 being first inserted. The two niembers are then preferably welded together. At diametrically opposite points on one side of each of the drums 28 on the right side, as indicated in the drawings, projecting pins 31 are secured, the pins being provided at diametrically opposite points so that the drums will be equally counterbalanced. Ten small recesses are provided in the shaft 21 at spaced intervals thereon, the recesses being formed in the shaft at shortly spaced distances from the right sides of the drums 28 when the shaft is shifted to the right, as indicated in Fig. 4. lVithin each of the recesses so formed, a rigid arm 32 is secured, the arm 32 extending upwardly from the shaft and being of slightly less radial length from the axis of the shaft than the radial distance between the pins 31 and the axis of the shaft. Arms 32, as illustrated in Figs. 11, 12 and 13, have small grooved portions within which the weak bar springs 33 are secured at their lower ends. Each spring 33 extends outwardly from the shaft 21 and adjacent one side of an arm 32, the spring being of as great a radial length from the axis of the shaft 31 as the radial distance between the pins 31 and the axis of the shaft. By this arrangement, when the shaft 21 is shifted to the left, as indicated in the drawings, and is rotated in one direction, the upper end of each of the springs 33 will engage with one of the pins 31 to cause rotation of the drums with the shaft, the portion of the spring 33 extending beyond the upper end of the arm 32 maintaining suflicient rigidity, due to the arm 32, that engagement between the spring and the pin will be maintained, as is illustrated in Fig. 12. When, however, the shaft 21 is'rotated in an opposite direction as the upper end of the spring 33 strikes a pin 31, the spring will give in the direction of rotation to allow the pin to slip past the same, as is indicated in Fig. 13 of the drawings. This latter action will also take place when a drum 28 is rotated in respect to the shaft in the direction first specilied and indicated by the arrow in Fig. 12 in I the drawings.

Mounted rearwardly from the shaft 21 and journaled in the ends of the casing 16, a square shaft 34 is provided. The shaft 34 has its corner edges slightly rounded to form a bearing surface upon which various parts may be journaled. Sleeves 35 may be provided at either end of the shaft 34, said sleeves having square central apertures therein, whereby the sleeves are keyed onto the shaft. Five cylindrical tally dials 36 are journaled on the shaft 34, each of the dials 37 are journaled on the shaft 34 respectively at one side of the respective dials 36, each ratchet being formed integral with or being secured to its respective dial. Ac-

cordingly, the various dials and their respective ratchets are mounted for free rotation in respect to the shaft 34. Abutting each of the ratchets 37 and keyed to the square shaft 34, are five ratchets 38, the said ratchets each having a square central aperture therein through which the shaft 34 fits. The ratchets 38 are accordingly mounted for rotation with the shaft 34. Each of the ratchets 37 has a horseshoe groove 37 formed on its side abutting a ratchet 38, a pin 39 being rovided in the abuttin ratchet 38, which 1s adapted to fit within the horseshoe groove 37. The said grooves 37 are concentric with the axis of the shaft 34 and extend fourteenfifteenths of the way around the circumference of a circle, which would be generated thereby. Each of the ratchets 37 and 38 carry fifteen ratchet teeth, all of the said teeth being alike with the exception ofthe fifteenth teeth 37 and 38*. A totaling dial 40 having a square opening at its central portion is keyed to the shaft 34, said totaling dial being shown on the right side of the furthermost right hand ratchet 38. The dial 40 is divided into fifteen portions. as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 15, and carries numbers on its periphery running consecutively from zero to fourteen. A ratchet 41 similar to ratchet 38 is formed integral with, or secured to the dial 40 at one side thereof, illustrated in the drawings, as being the right side thereof. An indicia play indicating dial 42 is journaled on the shaft 34, as illustrated in the drawings, adjacent the left end of the casing 16, the said dial 42 having formed integral therewith or having secured thereto the ratchet 43, which is a duplicate of the ratchets 37. A cylindrical sleeve 44 having a square opening at its central portion therein is keyed to the shaft 34 and abuts the horseshoe grooved side of the ratchet 43. the said sleeve having a pin 45 projecting therefrom and extending within the horseshoe groove of the ratchet 43. A cylindrical sleeve 46 having a square opening at its central portion is keyed to the shaft 34 adjacent the right hand end thereof and has secured thereto one end'of a watch spring 47, the other end of the watch spring being secured to a pin 48, in turn secured to the inner side of the right end of the casing 16. The spring 47 is so wound that it tends to move the shaft in the direct-ion towards which the teeth of the various ratchets point, that is, counterclockwise, when viewing the device from the right end thereof.

An angle bar 49 is secured parallel to the shaft 34 between the ends of the casing 16. Six bar springs 50 are secured at their forward ends to the angle bar 49 and project rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, the said springs carrying at their rear upper sides the brake shoes 51. The springs are so spaced that the respective shoes 51 will engage the lower sides of the peripheries of the respective dials 36 and 42 to bear againstthe same under slight tension. Small notches 52 are provided on the dials 36 and 42, the said notches being adapted to engage with the front upper corners of the brake shoes 51 when the dials 36 and 42 are so alined that the zero markings thereof face vertically upward from the shaft 34. Immediately over each of the dials 36 an aperture 16 is provided in casing 16 through which but a single one of the characteristics on its alined dial may be viewed when the dial is turned to proper position. Similarly apertures 16 are provided immediately over the two dials 42 and 40, through which but one of the characteristics on said dialsmay be viewed when the said dials are properly alined. At the inner rear side of casing 16, an angle bar 53 is secured, the said angle bar having six spaced holes. therethrough within which rods 54 ex tend, the said rods 54 being secured at their upper ends to operating levers 55. Each of the levers 55 has a vertically extending arm 55 and a horizontallyextending arm 55'.

Eacharm 55 extends upwardly through-a, rectangular aperture in the top of casing 16 and has a horizontally bent portion at the top thereof. Each horizontal arm 55 extends through a rectangular slot 16 formed in the rear end of the casing 16, the said slot being of a length equal to the sum of the length of any tooth on a ratchet 37 with the exception of the tooth 37, plus the height of the arm 55 A coiled ressure spring 54 encircles each of the re s 54 and reacts between the angle bar 53 and the lower end of a respective bar 55. Y A pair of dogs 56 are pivoted one at either side to each of the arms 55", the respective dogs pivoted to each arm 55 being secured together by their respective pivot and by a small pin 57 secured thereto at their lower rear ends. The co-operating dogs 56 each have a forwardly extending finger, the finger of one dog being adapted to engage with the notches on a ratchet 37 or 43 and the finger of the other dog being adapted to be engaged with a ratchet 38 or to not be engaged with the sleeve 44. The pivot carrying the dogs 56 is mounted at the forward upper portion of the dogs so that the weight of.

The dogs will then be engaged with the respective ratchets to move the same. After a lever has been pressed to its lowestposition and as the lever is carried upwardly by the spring 54 around the rod 54, the fingers of the dogs will strike the next succeeding ratchet teeth to the teeth previously contacted and the dogs will swing about their pivots to move the finger of the dogs rearwardly and permit the arm being carried to its idle previous position without moving the ratchets. The teeth 31, 38 and the cone sponding fifteenth tooth on the ratchet 43 are of greater length than the length of movement of the arm 55 in the slot 16 After the rat-chets have been turned to the fifteenth notch, accordingly, further depressing of the lever 55 will cause no engagement between the dogs 56 and tne fifteenth tooth so that continued movement of the various ratchets will be prevented. 7

A. dog 58 is pivoted at its forward end to lugs on the angle bar 49 and extends rearwardly from the angle bar to engage with the teeth on ratchet 41. A spring 59 is secured to dog 58 at one end and to a lug at the lower side of the top of casing 16 at its other end, the said spring being adapted to hold the dog 58 in engagement with ratchet 41 to prevent watch spring 47 from rotating the shaft 34 and connected parts. A rod 60 secured in the lower end of a lever 61 extends through a hole in the angle bar 53 and has a spring .62 thereabouts reacting between the lower end of lever 60 and the angle bar 53. The said lever 61 extends upwardly from the upper side of casing 16 and has a bent over upper end portion. A lug 61, provided adjacent the upper end of lever 61, restricts the vertical movement of the level 61 and a lug 61 at the lower end of lever 61 engages with the dog 58 to move the dog downwardly and release the same from the teeth of ratchet 41. Preferably, the printing No. is placed on the top of casing 16 adjacent the opening 16 over the dial 42, while preferably the lettering Total is printed on the top of casing 16 adjacent the opening 16 over the total dial 40. Suitable plates such as the plates 16 and 16 may be provided on the to of the casing 16 upon which various printing matter may be placed such as instructions for operating the machine etc. Preferably, the upper horizontally bent over portions of five of the arms 55 to the right of the machine have designating characteristics printed thereon reading from 1 to 5 inclusive, respectively.

Operation.

in playing the game of fourteen on the machine, a player will preferably play against the owner of the machine. If the player obtains a total score of fourteen or better, in one game, he will win. If he does not obtain a score of fourteen 01' better, the owner of the machine will win. Preferably, the player stands facing the front portion of the machine and when he is ready to spin the dials 28, the first time, he will grasp the hand grip 25 and the upper end of lever 27 with his left hand and will move the lever 27 towards the grip 25. By this action, the drum shaft 21 will be shifted to the left against the tension of spring 23. The player will then turn the crank 20 rapidly in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right end of the machine, whereupon rapid rotation of the shaft 21 will result by transmission of power from the gear 19 to the pinion 24. As the shaft 21 r0- tates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the right end of the machine, the upper ends of the bar springs 33 will be engaged with certain of the pins 31 on the various drums 28, thereby causing the drums to rotate with the shaft 21. After the drums have been rotated so that they have attained a high speed, the lever 27 is released whereupon the tension of the spring 23 will cause the shaft 21 to be shifted to the right. The crank 20 may now be released and the drums 28 will continue to spin on the shaft 21 for some little time. lVhen the said drums have about come to rest, each of the balls 30 in each of the hollowed out hexagonal-shaped portions 28 in each drum will be caught in one of the substantially angular corners of the portions 28 and the weight of the ball 30 due to gravity will cause the drum to be stopped with one of the insignia 28 a-lined with the aperture 16 immediately over the same, so that but one insignia may be viewed through the aperture. Due to the free spinning action of the various drums 28, various combinations between the indicia on the Various drums will, accordingly, be exposed to view through the various apertures 16 on different spins of the drums.

Let us suppose that the combination of insignia appearing to view after the first spin by the player is the combination shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. The player will now read the various insignia appearing to view and on finding that there are three dials having the dice insignia 1 exposed to view and three dials having the dice insignia 2 exposed to view, the player will choose one of these two insignia as the insignia of play. Let us assume that he chooses the insignia 2. The player, or the owner of the machine, may then either press downwardly upon the upper end of the arm 55 at the left end of the machine or upon the projecting rearwardly extending end of the leftarm 55*. As the lever 55 is moved downwardly against the tension of spring 54, the projecting finger of the left hand dog 56 will engage with one of the teeth on the ratchet 45 and cause the indicia. of play indicating dial 42 to be moved through an angle of substantially twenty-four degrees, thereby causing the nu- Inn meral 1 to be alined with the left hand aperture 16, so that the same ma be viewed from the top of the casing 16. A ter the dial 42 has been moved one step, the left hand brake shoe 51 due to the tension of the bar spring 50 will hold the dial from further movement until the dial is again actuated. After the lever 55 has been pressed downwardly and released s ring 54 will move the same upwardly, the ogs 56 pivoting about their mutual pivot as a finger thereof strikes moved downwardly twice to bring the nu-- meral 2 on the dial 42 to alined position for view through the aperture 16. Due to the fact that the dial 42 and the ratchet 43 are journaled on the square shaft 34, the shaft will not have been moved at all during this action, as the right hand dog 56' on the left lever 55 will not have been engaged with the sleeve 44.

To indicate the total number of times the chosen indicia of play has ap eared on the drums 28 after the first spin t ereof, the lever 55 marked 1 at its upper bent over end of its arm 55 is pressed downwardly three times inasmuch as the indicia 2 has a peared on the drums 28 three times after tfie first spin thereof. The action of the 1 lever 55 in so far as it effects the ratchet 37, and the dial 36 will correspond to the action of the extreme left hand lever as it effected the dial 42. However, when the 1 lever 55 is moved downwardly in addition to the left hand dog 56 pivoted to the lever striking the ratchet 37, the right hand dog '56 will engage the ratchet 38 to move the same together with the square shaft 34'to which the ratchet 38 is keyed and all parts keyed to the shaft 34. The totaling dial 40 keyed to shaft 34 will thus be moved each time anyone of the 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 levers are depressed so that as any one of the tallying dials 36 is actuated, the totaling dial 40 will also be actuated to register the total number of times the tallying dials have been moved during the playing of the game. I As the shaft 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the right end of the machine, the watch spring 47 is wound up and the ratchet 41 will be turned in respect to the dog 58 to slip past the dog one tooth at a time. The sprlng 59 will hold the dog 58 in engagement with the ratchet 41 so that rotation of the shaft 34 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from.

' three more times.

original position in respect to the horseshoe groove 37 on the left end ratchet 37.

After the left hand tallying dial 36 has been moved to register the number of times the indiciaof play has appeared on the drums 28 after the first spin thereof, the drums are given a second spin. At this time, the indicia of play indicating dial 42 will read 2 the left hand tallying dial 36 will read 3, the totaling dial 40 will read 3 and the remaining tallying dials 36 will read 0. The tallying dial 36, the second from the left, will now be actuated by the 2 lever 55 to indicate the number of times the indicia of play has appeared on the drums 28 after the second spin thereof. The action of the 2 lever 55 will be the same as is the action of the l. lever 55 and of the remaining.3, 4 and 5 levers 55. However, when the 2 lever 55 is moved due'to the fact that the shaft 34 has been already rotated, the pin 39 on the ratchet 38, the second from the left, will have already been moved in respect to the horseshoe groove 37* on the second ratchet 37. That is, due to the fact that the ratchets 38 have square apertures through their central portions through which the square shaft fit the ratchets 38 are moved with the shaft 34 while the ratchets 37 are only moved as their respective actuating levers arepressed downwardly. Let us assume on the second spin of the drums 28, that the dice indicia 2 has appeared four times. Accordingly, the second tallying dial 36 will be moved four times so that the numeral 4 will appear through the second aperture 16 on casing 16 from the left. The totaling dial will then register 7.

The drums 28 are now successfully spun The player registers the number of times the indicia of play appears on the drums after each spin on respectively the third, fourth, and fifth tallying dials 36. The totaling dial 40 will continue to register the total of times the indicia of play has appeared on the drums 28 during the entire game. If after the five spins of the drums 28 the player has obtained a total score of fourteen or over, he is considered to have won the game. If, however, during the five spins, the score totals less than fourteen as registered on the totaling dial, he has lost the game. the various pins 39 secured in ratchets 38 and the pin 45 secured in sleeve 44 will stand in the various horseshoe slots 37 and the corresponding horseshoe slot on ratchet 43 in a position as many steps away from the front end of the groove as viewed in Fig. .7, as the respective dials controlled by the various ratchets 37 and 43 register. If a total of less than fourteen is obtained, the number of steps will be increased by the difference between fourteen and the total score obtained.

Now, when it is desired to return all the If a total of fourteen is obtained,

including the tallying dials, the totaling dial and the indicia. play indicating dial to zero position, the lever 61 is depressed thereby causing the dog 58 tobe disengaged from the ratchettl, and thereby permitting the tensioned watch spring 47 to rotate the shaft 34 and the various members keyed to the shaft in counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the right end of the machine. As the shaft rotates in counterclockwise direction, the various pins 39 and will be moved in respect to the ratchets 37 and ratchet S'until the pins engage the rear ends of the slots 37 as viewed in Fig. 7, whereupon as rotation of the various ratchets 38 and sleeve 44 continues in counterclockwise direction, the various dials 36 and 4-2 will be turned until further rotation of the shaft and of the various parts is stopped by engagement of the various notches 52 with the upper forward corner portions of the shoes 51. The various dials are now all turned to zero position, as idicatcd in Figs. 1 and i, and the device is now ready for use in playing a new game.

The various parts of the machine are so constructed that even when used improperly none of the parts will be broken or become inoperative. Accordingly, due to the construction of the rigid arms 32 and the springs 33 carried by the drum shaft 21, no harm will be done to the various parts of the machine if the drum shaft 21 is shifted to the left when the shaft is stationary and while the various drums 32 are spinning. Similarly, if after the rotation of crank 20 has been discontinued, the shaft 21 is still held in shifted position to the left, and the drums 32 are spinning in respect to the shaft, no damage will be done to the various parts, inasmuch as when the pins 31 strike the upper ends of the springs 33, the springs will give to allow the pins to slip past the same as is indicated in Fig. 13 of the drawings. By provision of the fifteenth teeth, 37 38 and a corresponding tooth in the ratchet 43, the various tallying dials 36 the indicia play registering dial 4-2 can never be moved by the various levers 55 to a position past the point where the pins 39 and. i5 will be engaged with the left ends of the horseshoe slots as viewed in Fig. 7. When the said dials and the corresponding ratchets have been moved to such a position, as an actuating lever 55 is downwardly moved, due to the length of the fifteenth tooth 37?, 88 or a corresponding tooth on ratchet 43, no engagement will be made between the projecting finger of the dogs 56 and with the ratchet so that no movement will be transmitted to the ratchet. By providing the upwardly projecting arms 55 and the rearwardly projecting arms 55", the various dials can be operated either from the front of the machine or from the rear thereof.

The respective arrangement of the various parts of the machine may be considerably va-.

ried if desired. 'It will also be understood that the applicant does not wish to limit himself to the particular type of drum disclosed, to the particular type of tallying dial disclosed, the particular type of play indicia indicating dial disclosed, the particular type of total indicating dial disclosed, or the particular type of return means for simultaneously returning all of said dials to zero position. The construction of all of these various parts may be considerably varied as mayothcr parts of the present device.

Although the machine is particularly constructed for the playing of the game fourteen thereon, it can be seen that a-large number of different types of games can be played with the machine. Any type of dice game wherein no more than ten dice are used can be played with the present machine. If de sired other types of indicia may no used on the drums 28 than the dice indicia 28. Also, if desired, the drums :28 may be divided up into a larger number or a smaller number of sections and the interiors of the drums may be hollowed out in various polygonal-shapes.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the following claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A machine of the class described having in combination a suitably mounted shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a plurality of drums journaled on said shaft, said drums each having various indicia on their periphery, engageable members carried by each of said drums, engaging members carried by said shaft, and means for longitudinally shifting said shaft in respect to said drums so that when the shaft is rotated by said means when said shaft is'in one shifted position, respective engaging members will engage respective engageablemembers and spin said drums to expose various combinations of said indicia on said drums to view when said drums come to rest.

2. A machine of the class described having in combination, a substantially horizontal shaft suitably journaled, means for rotat ng said shaft, said shaft being capable of being longitudinally shifted in opposite directions, a spring normally urging said shaft towards one direction of shift, a shiftm lever adapted to be engaged with said shaft to moye the same against the tension of said springin the opposite direction of shift, a plurality of drums journaled on said shaft, each of said drums carrying various indicia on its periphcry, and means on said shaft for engaging said drums to spin the same when sald shaft is shifted in the last mentioned direction of shift and is rotated.

3. In a machine of the class described, a suitably mounted shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a drum journaled ,on said shaft for free rotation in respect thereto, a pin carried by said drum at a fixed radial distance from the axis of said shaft, a rigid arm carried by said shaft and of sli htly less radial length from the axis of said shaft than the radial distance of said pin from the axis of said shaft, and a weak bar spring secured ad jacent its lower end to the end of said arm and extending upwardly along one side of said arm, said bar spring extending outward-1y a short distance beyond the outer extremity of said arm so that the radial len th of said spring from the axis of said shaftwill be as long as the radial distance of said pin from the axis of said shaft, means for shifting said arm towards said drum whereby when said arm is shifted towards said drum and said shaft is rotated in one direction said spring will en age said pin to spin said drum with said sha t and thereupon said arm may be shifted away from said drum to disengage said spring from said pin and allow the continuous spinning movement of said drum in respect to said shaft, and whereby when said arm is shifted towards said drum and said drum is moved in the first direction faster than said shaft, as said pin engages said spring the spring will give to allow said pin to slip past the same.

4. In a device of the class described, a suitably mounted shaft, means for rotating sai shaft, a drum jou'rnaled on said shaft for free rotation in respect thereto, a pin projecting from one side of said drum at a fixed radial distance from said shaft, arigid arm on said shaft of slightly less radial length, I

ing said shaft, a pluralit from the axis of said shaft than said pin, and adapted to be placed in alinement with said pin in a-plane at right angles to the axis of said shaft, and a weak bar spring secured adjacent one end to said arm and projecting outwardly along one side of'said arm to a point beyond the outer end of said arm so that the radial length, of said spring from the axis of said shaft to the outer end thereof will be as long as the radial spacing of said pin from the axis of said shaft, whereby as said shaft is rotated in one spring will engage with said pin and said arm wilt-brace said spring to cause said drum to be rotated with said shaft, but as said shaft is rotated in an opposite direction, said spring will give in a direction away from said arm to allow relative rotation between said shaft and drum.-

5. A device of the class described comprising, a casing, a shaft suitably journaled in said casing, means for longitudinally shiftof drums journaled on said shaft at spaced intervals thereon for free rotation in respect drum carrying a plurality of varying indieia on its face, engageable means on said drums, engaging means on said shaft adapted to engage with said engageable means to rotate said drums when said shaft is shifted to one position and rotated, said casing having direction said to said shaft, each 7 v apertures therethrough through which-indicia on the various drums may be viewed,

and means for maintaining said drums in alinement with the various dpenings 1n Silld casing irrespective of whether the said shaft is shifted or not.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CECIL O. llELSON'. 

